Members of the preservation group Historic Denver say they’re concerned about plans to replace the iconic granite pavers that line the city’s 16th Street Mall.
The Regional Transportation District is currently considering a number of alternatives for updating the surface of the mall, which includes pedestrian sidewalks and bus paths. Several of the alternatives do not include the granite pavers, but instead would use concrete.
The current paving system was a collaboration of famous architects I.M. Pei and Laurie Olin, and the layout of the charcoal-gray, light-gray and red stones was inspired both by Navajo rugs and the pattern on the backs of rattlesnakes.
According to RTD, the pavers, which were installed in 1981, are causing safety problems and cost about $1 million annually to maintain.
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